Far Away
by Kybll
Summary: What happens when when some body the ynever expected to see again comes back, and someone that they all loved betrays them. Read to find out. Written by cousins who don't have accounts. Rated T for some language.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own NCIS or any characters mentioned.**

* * *

Far Away

L.K. Schooler and Emma Twain

Chapter 1

"Where are they, Timmy?"

"I don't know. Tony and Ziva are riding together 'cause there's only two cars."

"But I wanna see their costumes."

"Just calm down, Abby."

It was Halloween, and the NCIS crew was at a Halloween party in California. They were in California because there was a conference and this was a party to celebrate the end of it. And it just happened to be on Halloween.

Abby was Raggedy Ann while McGee was Raggedy Andy. Even Sarah was there. She was Bella Swan.

Ducky and Palmer were back in DC, as it was an agent convention. Abby just flew in for the party.

"I don't know if I can wait any longer," Abby said. She was practically hopping in her seat.

"Abby," McGee told her. "Tony's probably waiting on Ziva. You know she got a late start on her make-up."

"But I don't even know what they're supposed to be. And with Gibbs not being here makes me want to see them that much more."

"Abby, I know this may be hard for you," Sarah said. "But can you be still for like, I don't know, five minutes?"

"Sarah," Abby said. "I have had three extra large Caf-Pows in two hours. What do you think?"

Just then, two vampires walked in. A count and a countess; one with dark brown hair, and the other with medium brown hair.

"There they are!" Abby exclaimed.

Tony and Ziva walked up to the table. Ziva was wearing a gothic renaissance dress, with slits running up both sides, stopping mid-thigh. Tony was wearing a tux-type suit with a Dracula cape over it.

"You guys look awesome!" Abby said getting up to hug them.

"You look great too, Abby." Ziva said.

They all sat down as Tony chuckled.

"What?" McGee asked.

"You honestly have to ask, McAndy?" He said through laughs. He waved his arm towards McGee.

"Abby made me," McGee said. "She wanted a partner for her Halloween costume."

"There can't be a Raggedy Ann without a Raggedy Andy," Abby said.

"I completely agree with Abby," Ziva said. "I mean you can't think of Raggedy Ann without thinking of Raggedy Andy."

"Thank you, Ziva," McGee said, thankful that somebody was standing up for him than just one person.

"Why didn't Gibbs come?" Abby said.

"He said he didn't wanna do Halloween this year and he'd see us later," Tony said.

"Just have fun, Abby," Ziva told her.

"I am. I just wanted to see what he would've done for a costume."

"Probably a NCIS agent," Tony said. Everyone laughed.

Ziva looked nervously around the room, waiting for it to happen.

_Flashback:_

_Ziva stepped inside her hotel room, and immediately knew something wasn't right. She pulled her gun out and stared looking around. There was a figure in the shadows in the corner of the room by the window._

"_Who is there?" she said. "Show yourself!"_

"_Ziva," a thick Israeli accent told her. "You don't recognize your own brother?" The figure stepped out of the shadows, and sure enough, Ari Haswari was standing right in front of her._

"_That is impossible," Ziva said. "You are dead. I saw you myself."_

"_No, no, no," the Ari look-alike said. "What you saw was my doppelganger, not me."_

"_What doppelganger?" she said. She hadn't put the gun down._

"_You see, Ziva, Gibbs and his team had to believe I was dead. In order for him to truly believe, I couldn't tell you."_

"_And why didn't you tell me afterwards?"_

"_Because you work with Gibbs. He would have known if you were hiding something from him, and he would have stopped at almost nothing to get the truth from you."_

"_So why are you telling me now?"_

"_Because I need your help."_

"_For what?"_

"_Finishing what I started four years ago."_

"_Which Was?"_

"_Killing Gibbs."_

She couldn't believe she agreed to it. But she knew if she hadn't, he would kill everybody else. But she wasn't going to let him kill Gibbs. She was going to save the closest thing she ever had to a father, if it was the last thing she ever did.

"Zee-vah? You okay?" Tony asked.

"What? Oh, yes, fine. I was just thinking." She started focusing on the conversation again, But Tony was watching her.

"But I'm surprised that you would try to convince Gibbs to come, Ziva," Abby said.

"Even Gibbs deserves to have a little fun," she told her.

"It would've been nice to see Gibbs again," Sarah said.

Gun-shots rang out just then, and everyone dove to the ground. McGee protectively pushed down Abby and Sarah, and Tony grabbed Ziva and pushed her to the ground.

"Tell me where Gibbs is and nobody gets hurt," the same thick Israeli accent said.

_Oh no,_Ziva thought. _It's happening now._


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

They looked up and saw a man in a Jason hockey mask. He was carrying a machine gun. At least they knew where the shots came from.

"Stay down, Ziva," Tony whispered in her ear.

"Tony," she said. "I am an ex-Moss ad officer. I think I can do a better job than you can at stopping this guy."

"I know that. But you can protect Abby and Sarah by staying down."

Meanwhile, McGee was trying to convince Abby and Sarah to stay down.

"You two need to stay down," he was telling them.

"Only if you do, Tim," Sarah said.

"For now I am," he told her. "But if it comes down to it, I need you to stay down."

"Only if it comes down to it?" Abby asked.

"Only if it comes down to it," he assured her.

"Where is Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs?" the man in the hockey mask said. Nobody answered.

"Fine," he said. "The following people stand up. Agent Anthony DiNozzo, Agent Timothy McGee, and Agent Ziva David."

They stood up, McGee after quarreling with Abby for a few seconds.

"Now," he continued. "Will Ziva David please step forward?"

She started to step forward, but Tony grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me, Tony," she said.

"No," he answered. "You're not going anywhere."

They heard a gun click, and there was a man with the same model machine gun as the man in the hockey mask standing behind Tony.

"I would let her go if I were you," hockey mask man said.

"Let me go," Ziva said again.

He let her go and Ziva stepped forward.

"Here you go," Hockey mask guy said, handing a gun to Ziva.

"Ziva," McGee said. "What are you doing?"

"Helping."

"Why are you doing this?" Abby asked.

"You think I wouldn't help him?" she said. "Why?"

"Why would you?" Abby was sitting up now.

Ziva turned to hockey mask guy. "Do you want to tell them, of shall I?"

Hockey mask guy took off his mask and Tony, McGee, and Abby gasped in horror.

"That's not possible," McGee said.

Abby said, "No".

Tony was actually speechless for once.

Ari Haswari was standing right before their eyes.

"What?" Sarah asked. She didn't get answered.

"I'm guessing you are wondering why I am standing her before you, huh?"

They nodded.

"First, where is Gibbs?" he said.

"He is not here," Ziva said. "Abby tried to convince him, and so did I, but he just wasn't budging."

"Perfect," Ari said sarcastically.

While they were having this conversation, McGee had reached into his pocket where his phone was, called Gibbs' number, and put it on speaker, hoping it wouldn't be too loud.

Gibbs was lying on his bed, sleeping, with the free television on, when his phone rang.

"Hello?" he said in a soft, gruff voice.

"What do you want?" he heard McGee say. But he didn't say anything because he heard other people in the background.

"Excuse me?" a man in the background said.

"What do you want?" McGee said again. But this time he added, "Ari."

What? Was McGee trying to play a trick on him?

He heard footsteps coming closer to the phone.

"In case you did not know," a familiar voice said through the phone, "You are in no position to be questioning me."

"He does not know the rules." He recognized Ziva's voice instantly.

"That is true," the familiar voice said. Where did he know it from? "Would you like to explain them, or shall I?"

"You may have the honors." What was Ziva doing helping the guy who was threatening McGee?

"Fine then," the man said. "I just wish Doctor Mallard was here he knows them so well. First, you will not lie to me, or try to trick me. Second, this one I just recently thought of, I will be the only one asking questions unless I ask you if you have any questions, then you will have to raise your hand."

"Since when did you care about manners, Ari?" Tony said.

"I did not ask you if you had any questions, Agent Dinozzo."

Gibbs didn't hear any more. He hung up the phone, put on a pair of shoes, and ran out the door, ignoring the bellboy when he asked what was wrong.

Tony was on the floor, in pain as he was just hit in the gut by a machine gun. Ziva put on her mask so it wouldn't look like she cared if he was hurt or not. In truth, she really did care. She cared about everything he did in his day. But she never let it show, and she never got to close, because if she did, he would die. And she would rather care from a distance than have to go to another funeral for someone she cared about.

"Ouch," Ari said "That looked like it really hurt." Ari was standing over Tony, a look of mock concern on his face.

McGee looked over where Abby and Sarah were, and Sarah was comforting Abby, who was sobbing. McGee longed to take Sarah's place, but he could feel the gun at his back.

"Everyone, empty their pockets," Ari said.

Tony got up, emptied his pockets, and looked at Ziva. _How could she do this?_ He asked himself. _He must be forcing her to do this. She is _not _like her brother._

When Ari got McGee's cell phone, he smiled.

"I would expect nothing less of you, Agent McGee," he said. "You are always at ahead of technology, aren't you?"

"Well," McGee said. "When you know how to work it, and can afford it." McGee was thankful that he hung up when he handed it to the terrorist.

Ziva wanted nothing more than to go to Tony and comfort him. She saw the pain in his eyes, the betrayal. She longed to tell him everything. How she was doing this for him, for McGee, for Abby, and for Gibbs. Not to mention Ducky and Palmer. She couldn't bear to even look at Tony, so she didn't. And then she looked in Abby's direction, and saw that she was crying like she had never seen her cry. She looked away quickly, thinking her mask would break if she looked at her second family for one second longer.

"Ziva?" McGee said. She gave one of the men a look that said she was okay with questions.

"Yes?" she said in an indifferent voice.

"How could you betray us like this? How could you betray my trust? Our friendship?"

"Now you know not to trust everyone you lay your eyes on." Ziva answered in a cold voice. She turned to Abby. "Although I thought you would have learned that after your ex-boyfriend started stalking you."

Abby looked up at her Ziva's cold face. "Well now I have an ex-boyfriend and an ex-friend."

She thought there was hurt on Ziva's face, but the next second it was cold and emotionless again.

Ari walked over to Abby.

"You will not talk to my sister like that." He slapped her face, and got up.

"You son of a" – McGee started.

"Ari!" a man with a thick accent said.

"What is it, Abaddon?" Ari said.

"This phone has been used very recently."

"What?" He started running towards him when he was knocked down by an unseen force. There was blood coming on the floor where he was lying, and the window he had been standing in front of was broken.

"Ari!" Ziva yelled. She ran towards him, hoping she wasn't going to have to escort his body back to Israel again.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own NCIS. I know, it sucks.

* * *

Chapter 3

"Dammit!"

Gibbs was looking through his telescope on his rifle. It really wasn't his, he rented it.

He hated himself for missing. How could he have not gone? Even if he didn't have a costume, he still could have gone. He should've gone. Then Ari would have him, and his team wouldn't be in this mess. And one of the worst parts was that Ziva was helping the bastard.

_How could she do this?_ He thought to himself. _I trusted her, and she betrayed me. She betrayed everybody on this team._

He started walking to down the hill, knowing what he had to do.

* * *

"Ari?"

Ziva knelt down beside him. She saw that it was only a graze, and released breath that she didn't know she was holding.

"I'm fine, Ziva," he said through gritted teeth.

"You need medical attention," she told him.

"I'm fine, it's just a graze."

"Ari."

"Just get a first-aid kit." He looked like he wasn't going to argue anymore, so she got up.

"I will be right back," she said.

She walked out of the room, in search for a first-aid kit, and figured it was where the staff room was.

She saw a sign that led there, and went in that direction, half-running. Then she bumped into somebody and gasped.

"Gibbs," she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving my team," he said his voice cold.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"McGee called." His voice was still cold, and she wondered why. "Where is he?"

"Where is who?"

"Ari."

She looked down and saw that he had a rifle. It looked like the one he had at his house, but she knew that it wasn't possible to get that through customs.

"Were you the one who shot him?" she asked.

"Maybe," he answered. "Why would you care?"

"Because he is my brother."

"Or because you're working with him."

Her eyes got wide for a second, but then she composed herself. "What would make you think that?"

"Like I said, McGee called me."

"You heard me?"

"Yup."

She cleared her throat. "That is why you're being so cold to me."

He just nodded.

"Well," she said. "If you excuse me, I need to go get a first-aid kit."

He handed her a plastic case that had the fist-aid sign on it.

"I'm hiding for a while," Gibbs told her. "If you know what's good for your brother, you won't tell him."

She nodded her head and started walking towards the ballroom.

"Oh, and Ziva?" he said.

"Yes?"

His eyes became soft and deep with concern. "Are they okay?"

"Tony got hit in the gut, but other than that, yes."

He nodded, relief filling his face.

She left him there and went back to the ballroom. Before she walked in, she pushed Gibbs to the back of her mind and thought of her brother hurt in there.

He wasn't in there.

"Where is Ari?" she asked one of the men. She didn't know who he was.

"Kitchen." He jerked his head towards a door to her left.

"What took you so long?" Abaddon said when she walked in.

"Excuse me for not knowing where the first-aid kit was."

"Stop fighting," Ari said. He was sitting in a chair, a rag over his wound.

Ziva walked towards him and sat kneeled down next to him.

"You can't do anything until we get the bleeding to stop," he said.

"Okay," Ziva said. "But you need to make it hurry up."

He smiled. "I don't think I can make that happen."

"Well, try." She smiled, because it was obvious she was teasing.

"You take over," he said. "I am in no position to do anything."

"Are you sure?" Ziva asked.

"I trust you."

That made her feel horrible. The only reason she was doing this was to keep everyone she cared about alive. She loved Ari, but she thought that he needed to be in jail, just to get him help.

She came out of the kitchen after Ari told Abaddon to fix his wounds while Ziva took care of things outside.

"Ziva?"

McGee was looking at her, betrayal clear on his face. It looked like he was about to cry.

"Yes?" she said.

"How could you do this? How could you change sides so easily? Abby is crying because she's so hurt that you betrayed us. How could you just find out he was alive and just go off to help him. Or did you know all along? You guys were just waiting for the right moment to do it, to finish Gibbs off? Is that why you always ended up coming back? To be Ari's fly on the wall?" He was yelling now. "You never cared about any of us, did you? Did you? You don't even care that Abby is so hurt. You don't even care that you betrayed everybody's trust. You fooled us for so long. You were so good, because Boss fell for it too."

"That's enough," she said. She was holding back tears. She was surprised she could still cry after all her Mossad training.

She looked at Abby in Sarah's arms. She looked away and back to McGee.

"You need to watch yourself," she said. "You are at our mercy."

She looked at the man beside McGee, and nodded her head. He slammed the butt of his machine gun into McGee's gut, and McGee went down, grabbing his torso.

She hated doing it, but she had no choice. If she let it go, they would know something was up. She looked away, trying to ignore it.

Tony watched McGee go down and winced. He may make fun of Probie, but it didn't he was still family, just everybody else.

Except for Ziva. He loved Ziva.

Even now when she was betraying them, he still loved her. He wanted to believe there was a good reason she was doing this. He wanted her to just start laughing and say that it was all a trick, and to apologize for hurting them. He wanted it to be a joke, even though it would be a very bad joke, making Abby cry like that.

He though when she looked at Abby that she had looked a little more vulnerable; a little more like the Ziva he knew she could be when she wanted to. Caring, loving, friendly.

"Stop it!" Abby cried. She started sobbing uncontrollably. He walked over to Abby and knelt down beside her.

"Hey," he said. "Abby, it is okay. He's fine."

"He's on the floor, Tony. How can he be okay?"

He looked at Sarah, who seemed to be holding tears back herself.

"He could've had a lot worse done to him."

"You're right," Sarah said. "He's fine, Abby. This is Tim we're talking about."

"I don't care," she said. "He's still hurt."

Tony looked back at Ziva, who seemed to be having a silent argument with the guy they were calling Abaddon. They didn't seem to get along too well, did they?

"Abby," Sarah said. "You need to calm down."

As she said that, McGee stood up.

"I don't care," Ziva told Abaddon. "Ari left me in charge, and if I'm not mistaken, you are supposed to be in there, tending to his wounds."

"He hasn't quite stopped bleeding yet," he said.

"I don't care. Go in there and help him. If you don't, it will be the last thing you never do, understand?"

"Fine. But don't go soft on them."

"You do not trust me?"

He looked at her, and then went back into the kitchen.

She looked over the room and saw that Tony had gone to comfort Abby, and McGee had gotten up.

"McGee!" Abby said. She got up and ran to him. She embraced him into a huge hug that Ziva knew well.

Two of the men started to walk forward, but she held a hand to stop them.

She let him out of her vice tight hug, and sat back down where she was before.

At that moment, Ari walked out of the kitchen, his arm bandaged and in a sling.

"How are things going?" he asked Ziva when he reached her.

"Fine," she said. "How about your arm, is it okay?"

"It's been better," he told her.

"I figured as much."

Then someone walked in. It was Gibbs.

"It's about time, Gibbs," Ari said.

"What do you mean?" Gibbs asked.

"I knew one of your teammates called the second Abaddon said a phone had been used recently."

Ziva looked at McGee, who closed his eyes.

"Well," Gibbs said. "These past for years in hiding have really made you smarter, Ari."

Ari glared at him.

"Do not talk to him that way," Ziva said fiercely.

"I'll talk to him how I want, Ziva," he shot back just as fierce.

"You know, Gibbs," Ari said, changing the subject, "you will not make it out of here alive, so you can be as rude as you want."

"Nice to know," Gibbs said. "But I do have one request."

"And what is that?"

"My team doesn't see."

"Fair enough."

He looked at Ziva, and she started walking towards the team.

"Come on," she told them. She started to take Abby's arm, but McGee stopped her.

"Don't touch her," he said. Tony stood up to back up McGee.

"You have no right to speak to my sister that way!" Ari yelled.

"No," Ziva said. "It's okay, they are hurt. It's understandable." She turned back to McGee and Tony. "This way."

She led Tony, Abby, McGee, and Sarah into the hallway and into a small room, Abaddon following her.

"I believe I can take care of them myself," Ziva told him.

"It would be four against one," he answered.

"If I am not mistaken, I have a machine gun."

He looked at her, but then he said, "Fine," and walked out of the room.

She turned back towards the closest thing she had to a real family, and something happened that she didn't expect.

Tony was standing right behind her, so when she turned back, he knocked the gun out of her hands, and then he and McGee tackled her to the ground.

"What are you doing?" she asked them.

"I didn't want to have to do this," Tony said. "But I have no choice."

Tony was sitting on her, one leg on either side of her, his hands holding down her arms, and McGee was lying across her legs.

Her instincts kicked in. She started fighting.

She tried to flip over on top of Tony, but McGee was preventing from doing so. She then tried to kick McGee off of her legs, but again, could not do so.

"Get off of me," she told them.

"Sorry," McGee said. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

"You do it, or I swear…"

"You swear what?" Abby asked. "In case you haven't noticed, you aren't really in a position to be making threats."

Ziva glared at Abby.

_I can't believe this,_ she thought. _I am being reprimanded by two men that I should easily have been able to fight off._

"Abby," Tony said. "Get me some tape or rope."

"Don't you dare." Ziva said.

"Too late."

"Here you go," Abby said.

She handed the rope to McGee, and he tied Ziva's ankles together. Then tony forced her hands together and tied rope on them, too.

"I can't believe you!" Ziva told them.

"I guess we're on the same page then, aren't we?" McGee said.

They carried her to a folding chair, sat her down in it, and tied rope around her and the chair.

_Why?_ Ziva thought. _Why did I have to be so convincing? Because you had to convince Ari._

"Sorry," McGee said. "Actually, no I'm not."

She looked at Tony, who still looked so hurt, but he also looked like he wasn't so sure about what he was doing.

"Let me go now, or I will scream."

"Why should we let you go?"McGee asked.

"Because," she said. "I'm really on your side."

"Ya," Sarah said, standing next to McGee, "You were with us when you ordered that guy to hit Tim, right?"

"I had to convince them that I was on their side—"

Her sentence was interrupted by Abby putting tape over her mouth.

"I don't wanna listen to any more of your lies," Abby said.

"Mm-mm!" Ziva said.

"Just shut up!" Abby said. She turned to the others and said. "Let's go."

They walked out the door, Ziva's gun in hand, and left her there. She fought even harder to hold back tears.

Tony couldn't believe what he just did. He knew she was on Ari's side, but he wanted to believe that what she said was true. It rang through his head over and over again.

_I'm on your side,_ she had said. _I had to convince them._

* * *

"Come on!" Abby whispered. "We have to hurry up if you wanna save Gibbs. You do wanna save Gibbs, right?"

"Of course I do," Tony said. "How could you think I didn't?"

"After Ziva, I don't know what to think."

When she said Ziva's name something inside of him ached. He loved her. He always had. He knew because he had the same ache when he found Jeanne's apartment empty. For months he had the same ache every time he thought of her. He was mad at Ziva when she brought her up in their conversation in the men's room. As he thought of that, he realized that the only deep, serious conversations they ever had were in the men's room, and that made him want to laugh, but he only laughed on the inside.

They reached the door to the ballroom just then, and Tony realized that they hadn't gone as far as he thought.

"So, Gibbs," Ari said. He still couldn't believe that he was alive. "How would you like to die?"

"I get a choice?" Gibbs asked.

"No," Ari answered. "I'm just curious."

Tony looked over at Abby, who looked on the verge of tears again.

The door was open, and Tony could just see the back of Ari's head.

"Well," Gibbs said. "I'd rather die brave than die as a coward."

"I say you're pretty brave if you come to your death so willingly."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ziva was trying to get to her shoe desperately. _If I can only get to it, I can get out of here,_ she thought.

She had kicked her foot up and her shoe went flying across the room. She was now scooting her chair to get to it. There was a knife concealed in the heel, and she needed to get it out. She had to explain to everybody that she was trying to help them. She had to stop Ari from killing Gibbs. _And he probably wouldn't stop at Gibbs either; he would probably kill McGee, and Abby, and Sarah, and -_ she forced herself a little bit harder to think the name. _Tony._

She tried even harder to get to her shoe. She was almost there. If she could just get her foot to move a little bit farther.

"We have to do something!" Abby whispered.

Tony saw McGee look at the machine gun he was holding. "I have a clear shot."

Tony nodded. He knew how much it would hurt Ziva, but she had betrayed them, and they had to save Boss.

McGee took aim at Ari and was about to pull the trigger when something knocked him down. It was Ziva.

Everyone in the Ballroom took notice.

Ari roared in frustration and aimed his fun at McGee. Gibbs then tackled him, and Abby and Sarah both screamed.

"What are you doing?" McGee growled. "How did you get out?"

"I have my ways, McGee." she answered.

Ziva and McGee struggled for the gun. Ziva was on top of McGee, who flipped over and pinned Ziva down on the hard tile floor. Ziva then kneed him in the groin and got free. She grabbed the gun and, involuntarily, pointed at them.

Meanwhile, Ari and Gibbs were also fighting for a gun. Tony was helping Gibbs. Despite Ari having two men on him he knocked Gibbs in the gut, and Tony in the face with the gun and won.

"I don't think you wanna try any more than what you've done." Ari said. "You see, I wasn't going to kill you. Until now."

Ziva almost lost her composure. Almost. She couldn't bear to have them dead. She would kill Ari before that happened.

Just then the room flooded with people. They were wearing bullet-proof vests that said FBI. There was a lot of yelling.

"Put the guns down!" "FBI!"

Abaddon started shooting. Then everyone else started shooting.

"Go!" Abaddon told Ari and Ziva. "We'll fight them off!"

"I'm fighting!" Ari said just as Ziva replied, "No way."

"If you want to finish the mission, you must go, or you will most likely die."

Ari sighed. "I will see you, my friend."

He grabbed Ziva's hand and started pulling her toward the kitchen. Nobody noticed.

"What are you doing?" Ziva asked. "I am staying to fight!"

"No you are not!" Ari said. They crouched down as somebody beside them fell. Ziva was afraid to look at who it was. "I will not let my sister go to her death."

"I won't be going to my death."

"I need you to help finish the mission."

She thought about it. She needed to know what he was planning to do now. To save Gibbs. To save everybody.

"Please." He begged. Right then he reminded her of the old Ari. The nice, caring, loving Ari.

"Okay."

The stood back up and went for the kitchen again. A hand went on Ari's shoulder.

"You're not taking her anywhere," Gibbs said.

"Oh yes I am." Ari brought the butt of the machine gun to Gibbs' face, and it made a sickening crunch as it connected with his nose. The force was so hard that it knocked Gibbs on the floor.

With much regret, Ziva turned away from him and kept on running.

They got through the kitchen and out the exit with no trouble. They were almost to the car.

"Stop right there!" It was Tony. Ziva stopped in shock. Ari stopped because Ziva did.

"What right do you have to tell us what to do?" Ari asked.

"I'm not really older than you, so it can't be that. Maybe," he smiled his Dinozzo smile. "Just maybe it may be the fact that I have a badge." As he said that, the smile left his face and he dropped the sarcastic tone.

"I don't see how that would be it," Ari said. "As you know, you are not my government."

Ziva realized that Tony was not alone. McGee was right behind him, his gun up.

Tony's face went stone cold. "You're not leaving with Ziva."

"I believe I have more of a claim on her than you do."

"Excuse me?" Ziva said.

"Sorry, Ziva," Ari said. "I just meant that you are my family." He turned back to Tony and McGee. "She can leave with me if she wants."

Tony made eye-contact with Ziva. "Do you wanna go with him, Ziva?"

Ziva saw what he was hiding in his eyes. There was pain. Like a little boy being left by his mother in the grocery store. Abandonment.

"Yes," she said.

The abandonment in his eyes just got worse. She didn't betray the emotion she was feeling. She wanted to go comfort him. To hug him; to tell him everything. But she couldn't. Not with Ari standing right there.

Ziva looked at Ari and they made a silent conversation that lasted less than a second. Ziva pulled the knife from the sheath on her thigh and threw it in one swift movement. It hit McGee right above the knee. Tony lunged for Ari, completely forgetting that he had a gun in his hand, and Ari shot.

Ziva froze for less than second before Ari grabbed her arm and pulled towards the car. She looked back and felt instant relief. It just grazed Tony's shoulder. Ari pushed her into the passenger's seat, ran around to the driver's side, got in, and drove off. She didn't dare look back.

Tony heard the car drive away and cursed. He had just let Ari get away with Ziva. He would probably end up using her as leverage to get to Gibbs. And everyone else. His phone rang. He automatically reached for it with his right hand and felt a searing pain. He used his left hand and looked at the caller ID. Great, it was Gibbs.

"Ya, Boss?" Tony said through gritted teeth, trying to ignore the pain. He could hear McGee's deep breaths.

"Where are you? Do you know where McGee is?" Gibbs asked.

"No worries, Boss. McGee's with me. We're in the back alley from the kitchen exit. We followed Ari." He couldn't say Ziva. It hurt too much, and he was already hurting enough.

"Did you get them?" Gibbs asked.

"No," Tony said. "They got away."

"How the hell did they get away?"

"He shot me, and I don't know what she did to McGee."

"I'm coming to get you."

There was silence on the other end. Tony hung up the phone and took a deep breath. "You okay, McGee?"

"Oh ya," McGee said sarcastically. "I just got stabbed in the leg by our co-worker, I'm fine."

"Seriously, McSarcastic. Where did she get you?"

"Right above the knee."

"Ouch."

"Ya. How about you?"

"Just a graze."

Just then, Gibbs and EMTs came out. Gibbs looked at Tony and McGee, and his eyes widened slightly. It was so slight that tony thought he had imagined it.

One of the EMTs went over to Tony and started looking at his wound.

"It's not that bad," he said. "You'll just have to wear a sling for a couple weeks."

The EMT bandaged the graze after he stopped the little bleeding that came from the wound. He then helped Tony up.

"Thanks," Tony said.

"No problem."

Tony walked over to Gibbs.

"I thought you needed this," Gibbs said, handing Tony an arm sling.

"Thanks, Boss." Gibbs helped put the sling on and they stood in silence as McGee came over, using crutches.

"You ready to go?" Gibbs asked them. They both nodded.

As they were driving to the hotel, Tony was lost in his own thoughts.

_How could she have done this? I thought she was for justice, and then she's all of a sudden gun-ho about killing Gibbs. She never said it but you could tell that Gibbs was like a father to her. Like he was to all of us. But more so for her, and me too, as we neither of us really had good fathers. _

"Hey," Gibbs said. "It's no one's fault but her own."

Tony just nodded. But he really felt like he should've have seen this coming from her. They knew each other so well, he couldn't believe he didn't. But somehow he believed what she said. That she was on their side, she was just trying to gain Ari's trust. He didn't know why, but he believed her. She would never go against Gibbs. Or would she?

"Where are we going, Ari?"

They had been driving for a half hour non-stop. She was kind of nervous where they were going.

"To a safe house." Ari said.

"What safe house?" Ziva asked.

"I set up a safe house just in case things got out of hand."

"Oh."

"You honestly thought I wasn't prepared?"

"No, I thought you thought that you were going to succeed in killing Gibbs."

"I knew we were going to have some difficulty in the plan, did you not?"

"Yes, but I thought that wasn't gonna stop you, that's why you had all those extra people."

"Ziva," he said. "I may be adventurous, but I'm not an idiot."

"I didn't think you were."

"Good."

They drove in silence the rest of the way. Ziva knew what she had to do, but she would have to wait for the right moment to do it.

Tony was lying in his bed in his hotel room. He still couldn't believe what happened.

_Maybe it was just a dream, and I'm going to wake up any second_, he thought.

He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them.

He was still in the hotel room, and he still had a sling on his arm.

_Well, crap_, he thought. _Then it _was_ real. How the hell could she do this?_

Different versions of the same thoughts ran through his mind until he fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of Ziva with pain.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

_I have to do it now. It's the only chance I'll get for a while._

Ziva was wearing a black hoodie, with a baseball cap hiding her hair. She was watching Ari sleep, trying to work up the courage to leave.

_But if he wakes up, and I'm not here, where does that leave me? I'll just make up an excuse if it happens._

She silently opened the door and started walking towards the only pay-phone she knew of. She couldn't use her cell phone, because then they wouldn't even pick up.

She got to the convenience store, walked to up to the pay-phone, and picked up the receiver. She put change in it and called the first number that came up on her cell phone.

The phone rang. And rang. She thought the voice mail would pick up when she heard the voice.

"Gibbs," he barked.

"Gibbs," she said in relief. "I didn't think you would answer."

"Why are you calling me?" he asked his voice as hard as stone and cold as ice.

"I need to explain," Ziva said.

"There's nothing to explain," he said, and the line went dead.

Ziva's eyes got wet, but she fought it. She dialed the next number. McGee.

"Hello?" he said.

"McGee?"

"Ya?"

"Please don't hang up."

There was silence on the other end. He had realized who it was.

"I have nothing to say to you." The line went dead.

Her vision was so blurred by then that she had to struggle to see the next number.

"Hello?" Abby's chipper voice said through the phone.

"Abby, I'm begging you, don't hang up."

"Why shouldn't I, huh?" Her voice was now cold.

"I need to tell you why I did what I did."

"I know why you did what you did."

"Really?"

"Ya. It's because you were tricking us. You knew Ari was still alive, and you didn't tell us!"

"Abby, I"-

"NO! Don't even talk to me! All you were doing was gaining our trust. You lied, you manipulated, and you even fooled Gibbs! You were trying to make your way into our little group so you could find each of our weaknesses so you could help Ari in his pointless plot to kill Gibbs that I don't even understand since he doesn't even know Gibbs!" Her voice was cracking with strain and tears. "We're all beside ourselves because you did this! We trusted you! You're a cold heartless emotionless bitch, and I never wanna speak to you again!" And with that, the line went dead.

Tears were pouring down Ziva's face now. She couldn't blame Abby for being this mad, but it still hurt. She dialed the next number praying that she could explain before Gibbs told him what happened.

"Dr. Mallard speaking."

"Ducky."

"Ziva my dear, what is wrong?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "I made a mistake."

"Was it so horrible that you're in tears?"

"It's so horrible that Gibbs, McGee and Abby won't talk to me."

"My dear, what did you do?" he asked.

"I betrayed their trust."

"How so?"

"I helped Ari try to kill Gibbs."

There was a short silence on the other end of the phone. "You mean five years ago? You didn't even know Gibbs then."

"No. Tonight." Ziva took a deep breath. "But it's because he came to me a few days ago for help, and he told me right off the bat that he was going to kill Gibbs"-

"Ari is dead, Ziva," Ducky said reassuringly.

"No, that was his doppelganger."

"You helped him?"

"Yes, but"-

"Did he succeed?"

"No, but"-

"Why were you helping him?"

"If you'd give me two minutes, I could explain!"

"I already know all of this, Ziva. Gibbs already called me. I am so sorry, but I cannot help you."

"Ducky," she said, her voice breaking.

"Are you crying, my dear?"

"Maybe." Her voice was now a little more defiant.

"My dear, why?"

"Because I'm frustrated! No one will even listen to what I have to say so I can tell them the real reason why I did it!"

"I'm listening."

She couldn't believe her ears. "You just said you couldn't help me."

"If you are so hurt that we won't listen to you, I believe that there is a rational reason that you helped your brother because you are one the last people who would want Gibbs dead."

"Yes," she said. Finally, somebody was listening.

"I can listen, but I cannot help you, Ziva."

Her spirits dropped a little. "I understand."

She told him everything. He silently listened and Ziva could just imagine him nodding at his desk.

"Thank you for listening, even though you cannot help."

"No problem."

"Do you believe me?"

"Yes, I do."

"Thank you. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Ziva."

She hung up. She used half of her change talking to Ducky. Now to the call she that she dreaded most.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Tony was in the hotel bar with his fourth beer. He had woken up and couldn't get back to sleep. It was always a bar where you could find him when something happened. When Kate died, he was at the local bar. When Jeanne left, there he was at the bar. When Jenny died, he didn't even go to the bar. He went down to Ducky's and got some scotch. Ziva had joined him then. She actually joined him a lot. But when it was the end of a case, and everybody was happy. But this wasn't one of those times. He was here _because_ of her. This wasn't the first time. When Vance had separated everybody, he drank because of Jenny and Ziva. When she stayed in Israel when Tony had killed Rivkin, he was at the bar almost every night drinking, trying to forget about her. Trying to forget that he hurt her, he betrayed her trust, and that she didn't care about him.

When they had saved her in Africa, he thought she was alive, but he also thought that it was false hope. So when he saw her, saw her beautiful face, her angelic face, he rejoiced on the inside. Even though she looked bad she was alive, breathing, living.

When they were back, and they talked in the men's bathroom yet again, he thought everything would be back to normal. When he kissed her, even though it was on the cheek, he knew for sure that he loved her. It was her, and only her, that he wanted, needed. He knew that she was the only one, who could make his life whole, yet he also knew that she didn't feel the same way, she didn't trust him. How could she love him?

His phone rang just then. He looked at the caller ID. He didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Tony, please don't hang up."

His heart jumped. He knew that voice. It was the voice of his ninja angel.

"Ziva?" he whispered.

"Yes. Please don't hang up. Please."

"I wasn't going to. Have you been crying?"

"No," she said, but her voice cracked.

"Zeev, why?"

"Where are you?"

"Hotel bar."

"Can you go someplace more private?"

"Of course."

He laid money down on the table for his beer, and left the bar and went to a corner of the lobby where no one else was.

"Okay," he said. "What the hell is going on?"

"I only did it so I could stop Ari."

"Why?"

He listened to the whole story. When she finished he was speechless.

"You did all of this to protect us?" he asked.

"Yes. I could not let you guys die."

"I knew you really did it because you were protecting us. I knew what you were saying when we left you was true. You're not a bad guy, you went undercover. I knew it."

"You believe me?" she asked her voice thicker then Tony had ever heard it.

"Of course. How could I not?"

"The same way everyone but Ducky did."

"You called me last?" he asked. He was a little hurt. He knew he wasn't that important to her.

"Yes," she said. "I was putting it off."

"Why?"

He heard her take a deep breath and continuing. "I didn't think you would believe me. And it would hurt so much more than anyone else if you didn't believe me."

His heart lifted a little. So she _did _care about him.

"Look, I'm out of change, and my time is almost up. I should go."

"Okay."

He hung up the phone. She cared about him, but in what way?

"Where have you been?"

Ari was standing at the door. He was looking at Ziva with angry eyes.

"I got hungry. There's not much worth eating here if you haven't noticed."

She was carrying grocery bags. She went to the kitchen table and started unloading. She was thankful of her quick thinking and remembering that there wasn't a lot of food in the safe-house. She started unloading basic necessities like bread, milk, canned foods, soups, among other things.

"I hope you're the one that's gonna be cooking," Ari said. "You know how I am with cooking."

"I remember the ruined spaghetti pot, Ari, if you're trying to remind me. I am not letting you near the stove."

Ari laughed and turned on the TV. He turned it to ESPN while Ziva finished putting stuff up. She grabbed the bread and made two ham and cheese sandwiches with cool ranch Doritos and handed Ari his plate.

"Thank you, Ziva."

"No problem. There's nothing better to do here."

Ari mock glared at her and turned back to the TV.

Ziva started thinking about what had happened with the team. They had every right to be mad with her, to shun her, she didn't blame them. But it still hurt. She had felt hurt like this many times though. Every time her father didn't come to a recital, when she had shot Ari – or thought she did, when Tony had shot Michael. So many times.

"Tony!"

"Huh?"

Gibbs was glaring at Tony.

"Sorry, Boss," Tony said.

"I said to gear up. Dead Marine."

"Right, Boss." Tony grabbed his gear and headed for the elevator.

It had been three days since what happened. Tony hadn't had any contact with Ziva since that night, and it was torture.

He couldn't see her smile, he couldn't hear her laugh, he couldn't even hear her yell at him. He would give anything just to hear her voice. Even if it was yelling at him.

"Tony, bag and tag."

"Got it boss."

He collected evidence for Abby thinking about Ziva and how much he missed her.

When they got back to the bull-pen, Tony's thoughts took a different direction. He liked this direction. Abby had just come up to tell Gibbs something because she wanted to tell him in person, but didn't wanna wait for him; McGee was looking up phone records of the dead marine, and Ducky was talking to Gibbs and Abby, comparing notes and evidence. This was the perfect time.

"Hey, guys," Tony said, standing up.

They all looked at him.

"Yeah, Dinozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"I have something to say."

"Go ahead."

Tony took a deep breath and concentrated on what he was going to say next.

"Ziva called me Saturday night."

"So," Gibbs said. "She called me too."

"I know that," Tony said. "I know she called all of you."

"How do you know that?" Abby asked.

"I actually didn't hang up on her."

"You talked to her?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes, and I believe her."

"Believe her in what?" McGee asked.

"That she did what she did to protect us. If you would have let her explain, all of you would have known that."

"Tony," Gibbs said. "Ziva was in Mossad. She was trained to kill, torture, and lie. She is an expert liar."

"Really?" Tony responded, "Then why was she in tears when she called me?"

"She can act, too."

"She refused to admit she was. The only reason I knew was her voice cracked."

He looked at everyone in the room. He stopped at Ducky because he looked bashful.

Gibbs noticed too. "What is it ducky?"

"Well," Ducky said. "As you know, she called me also, but I was like Tony and didn't hang up. She sounded sincerely sorry, and she was crying. It was right after she called Abby."

Abby looked up in shock. "I made her cry?"

"Yeah," Tony said bitterly, "you did. How does it make you feel to make the cold heartless emotionless bitch cry?"

"Well," Abby said defiantly. "She deserved it. I mean, she was involved in the plot to kill Gibbs. If she was doing it to protect him, she would have told us, and we could have stopped him."

"Ziva didn't wanna put us in danger. That's exactly what would've happened if she told because Ari was watching."

"Whatever," Abby said. She rolled her eyes and walked out of the bull-pen.

"McGee," Gibbs said. "Go check on Abby."

"Got it, Boss." He got up from his desk and went after Abby.

"Tony," Gibbs continued. "Come with me."

Tony followed Gibbs towards the elevator. When they got in the elevator, they were alone. Tony braced himself for the famous head-slap. But it didn't come.

Tony opened his eyes to find Gibbs just looking at him.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Why?" Gibbs said.

"Why what?"

"Why do you believe her?"

"Because, Ziva doesn't cry. I have never seen her cry. You guys hurt her so much. I believe her because of my gut feeling."

Gibbs looked slightly taken aback by this. "Your gut?"

"Yeah, what does yours say, Boss?"

"Why are you so hung up on her, Tony?" Gibbs said, avoiding the question.

"What do you mean, 'hung up?'" Tony asked.

"You've been hung up on her with everything. You hang on every word she says without even realizing it. I've never seen you like this with any other woman. It's like she has mind control over you or something."

"I'm trying to get our old friendship back. The way it was before she stayed in Israel. I'm trying to be more communicative. Is that so wrong?"

"I'm not just talking about after Africa, Tony. You've done this since she started working here. You've always been that way with her. And now when she's done something that's unforgiveable, you believe her and take her back with loving arms? What is wrong with you? If the FBI hadn't come in when they did, they were gonna kill us all, and you have no problem with that?

"She wasn't gonna let that happen. She would have turned on him. She would have saved"-

"There you go again."Gibbs said, getting up on Tony's face. "You automatically believe every word she says just because it comes out of her mouth."

"I believe it because it's true." Tony's voice was menacing right now because he was so angry. It was like acid.

Gibbs looked slightly taken aback. He gained his composure in less than two seconds.

"You help her in any way at all, and you will be fired from this agency, and I will kick your ass out of here."

Gibbs opened the elevator door and left tony standing there in disbelief. He couldn't Gibbs told him that. But it didn't matter. He was going to help Ziva if it was the last thing he ever did. And judging by Gibbs' reaction, it would be.


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own NCIS. Stop making me say it!**

**I also don't own "Tik Tok", or "Vanilla Twilight"**

* * *

Chapter 7

"There is nothing to do here!"

Ziva threw herself down on the couch.

"What do you expect?" Ari asked. "We are wanted people. We can't just go out and do whatever we want."

"Yes, I know that, but I'm used to doing something. It's been a week. When are we going to go on with the mission?"

"These things take time, Ziva. It took years for me to start this mission. Since Gibbs killed my doppelganger. I had nobody know I was alive. Not even father."

"I don't blame you not telling father."

Ari mock gasped. "Daddy's girl dare says that?"

"I am not a Daddy's girl anymore."

"Ah, you have seen the light."

"Yes, I have."

Ari sat down on the couch, and leaned ready to listen intently. "How did you find out that he is not as perfect as you thought he was?"

"I do not have to tell you."

"Ziva," he said. "I am your brother. I know you do not like to talk about your feelings, but I want to know how you saw the light."

"Fine," Ziva said. "This summer, I went back to Mossad, and I went on an anti-terrorist mission in Africa. I was captured, and was held prisoner for months. After a while, I knew he wasn't coming. I thought I was going to die there, and I would never see anyone I loved ever again. But I was saved. By Tony, and McGee, and Gibbs. Tony and McGee infiltrated, and got captured themselves. We got away and busted the terrorist cell. I decided to go back to NCIS, and father didn't like it. He tried to get me deported back to Israel by framing for murder. Didn't work, Gibbs told him through someone else that I was off-limits, and I resigned from Mossad and became an NCIS agent."

"Interesting," Ari said. "If they saved your life, and you feel so close to them, why did you join me in my mission?"

_Oh, crap_, she thought. "Because, they might be my co-workers, but you are my family. My flesh and blood."

"Well," Ari said. "That makes perfect sense." He stood up from the couch and stretched. "I have to go to the meeting place to check on everything. Would you like to come?"

"No," she said. "I think I'll just stay here. I don't' want to be in the middle of the planning."

"Ziva, you need to get out of the house."

"I'll take a walk or something. Incognito, of course."

"Fine. I'll be back later tonight."

"Okay"

And with that, Ari shut the front door. She heard the car start, and drive away, and she sighed.

She hated lying to Ari like that. But she had to keep telling herself that it wasn't the real Ari. Not the old Ari. Not the fun, sweet, kind Ari. She saw the old Ari in him, but only rarely. This was a criminal, and she had to stop him from killing Gibbs, and this was the only way she knew how.

* * *

"So, Mcgoo, What are you going to do this weekend?"

Tony was sitting at his desk, leaning back in his chair.

"Why do you ask?" McGee said. "You never ask me."

"Well, Probie, the person I usually ask isn't here, so I'd thought I'd ask you for a change."

"Tony," McGee said. "You can say Zi"-

"I can but you can't," Tony interrupted in a bitter, hushed tone, getting up and walking towards him. "If you don't believe her, you can't. She was your friend, your co-worker, your family." Tony was right up in McGee's face by now. McGee's eyes were as big as saucers. "You abandoned her when she needed you the most. She is with a criminal, a killer. And you just sit there like nothing has happened. Well something has happened McGee. She needs us, and I can't help her and you won't." His voice started getting a little bit louder with each word. "You don't care about her anymore. None of you do. It's pathetic. How you can just throw away a friendship like it's week old take-out." Tony was yelling now, his eyes brimming with tears. Gibbs walked into the bull-pen and Tony turned to him. "How dare you do that to her! How dare you throw her away when she was trying to save your life! She felt like she had no choice but to help him, so she could save your ass!" He stood right up to Gibbs. Gibbs just stood there in shock. "I know you don't believe her, but I do. You didn't leave me when I needed you, you didn't leave McGee when he needed you, you didn't leave Ducky, Abby, or Jenny when they needed you," Tony paused for a second. "And you didn't dare leave Cate when she needed you." Tony went to his desk and grabbed his gear. "It's five o' clock, we just finished a case, and I'm going home." He started walking towards the elevator. "See you Monday."

He left Gibbs and McGee in shock.

* * *

Ziva was listening to music on the radio. She was thinking about Tony and how he was probably having fun with the team. Ari was at yet another "meeting" to go forward with the plan. Her favorite song, "Tik Tok" by ke$ha had just ended when the DJ came on.

"Hey," the DJ said. An unfamiliar song started playing. "Here's a song request, "Vanilla Twilight" by Owl City.

Ziva laid down on the couch and listened.

_The stars lean down to kiss you  
And I lie awake and miss you  
Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere  
Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly  
But I'll miss your arms around me  
I'd send a postcard to you, dear__  
__Cause I wish you were here_

Ziva cocked her head so she could listen better.

_I'll watch the night turn light blue  
But it's not the same without you  
Because it takes two to whisper quietly  
The silence isn't so bad  
Till I look at my hands and feel sad  
Cause the spaces between my fingers  
Are right where yours fit perfectly_

Ziva looked down at her hands. Tony's hands did fit perfectly into hers. Tears filled her eyes as she thought about him. Yet she smiled at the thought of him also.

* * *

Tony was looking out the window of his apartment, listening to a song he had just discovered a couple days ago. He had downloaded it upon hearing it.

He felt so lost without Ziva in his life. He couldn't believe that he blew up like that because of it. The first thing he was gonna get Monday would be the hardest Gibbsing, or head- slap, he had ever gotten. He couldn't even sleep cause he wasn't tired even though he had barely slept since the night of the "betrayal."

_I'll find repose in new ways  
Though I haven't slept in two days  
Cause cold nostalgia chills me to the bone  
But drenched in vanilla twilight  
I'll sit on the front porch all night  
Waist deep in thought because when  
I think of you I don't feel so alone_

This song was so true of his feelings for Ziva. He always thought of her just so would feel whole.

_As many times as I blink  
I'll think of you tonight  
(Tonight, tonight, tonight...)_

I'll think of you tonight

It was true. Every time he blinked, he thought of her beautiful smile, the way she would always threaten him that she could kill him eighteen different ways with a paperclip, her beautiful curly hair running down her back when it was down.

_When violet eyes get brighter  
And heavy wings grow lighter  
I'll taste the sky and feel alive again  
And I'll forget the world that I knew  
But I swear I won't forget you  
Oh if my voice could reach back through the past  
I'd whisper in your ear:  
"Oh darling I wish you were here"_

And he did wish she was here.

The song ended with the cheesy sounding pop beat, yet it was still nice. He sat down on the couch and buried his face in his hands. He had to see Ziva. He didn't care what Gibbs said. He had to see Ziva.


	8. Chapter 8

**Don't own NCIS. Although Trojan Bellisario might inherit it...**

* * *

Chapter 8

"Ari, what's with the bag?"

Ari was standing at the front door with a duffel bag in his hand.

"I am going to be staying at the planning facility for a couple of days."

"How long is a couple?"

"Two days. Three at the most."

"Ari," Ziva said disapprovingly.

"We are right in the middle of planning. I have to."

She looked at him. He looked serious. Like he wasn't gonna give this up. "Fine," she said.

Ari placed his palm on her cheek. "I knew you would understand." And with that he left.

She sat down on the couch and listened to the radio.

* * *

"What the hell did you do that for, DiNozzo?"

Tony was in the elevator with Gibbs. He had just Gibbs'd Tony so hard that he was seeing spots in his eyes.

The spots disappeared, and Tony replied, "Because it needed to be said."

"Look, DiNozzo. I don't why you believe her. Actually, I do." Gibbs stopped the elevator. "You love her don't you?"

"What?" Tony snorted. "She's my co-worker. Why would I love her? I mean, rule number twelve, and I mean, no. why would I?"

"It's happened to the best of us, DiNozzo. It's happened to me."

"Who did you fall in love"- Tony stopped. He thought he saw tears in Gibbs' eyes and realized who it was. "Boss, I'm sorry. It was"-

"It doesn't matter who it was. Do _you_ love _Ziva_?"

"I don't know. But I'd do anything for her. Including proving her innocence."

"No."

"Boss"-

"I said no!" Gibbs yelled.

"Got it. I won't help her."

"Good." With that Gibbs turned the elevator back on and the door immediately opened to their floor.

_I won't help her,_ Tony thought. _That you know about, anyway._

**I don't know when I'll be posting next. I'm kinda stuck on chapter nine. I know, I'm mean, but I just don't know how to get to where I wanna go, and it's freakin' frustrating! So I'm not _trying _to be mean. Sorry**


	9. Chapter 9

**I don't NCIS! Stop making me say those hurtful words! Say happy birthday to Mark Harmon in the review if you're reading on September 2.**

* * *

Chapter 9

It had been three days since Tony told Gibbs that he wouldn't help Ziva. He was sitting at his desk, looking at the same contact on his phone that he had for half an hour.

Finally, he pushed the green talk button and put the phone to his ear.

* * *

Ziva was at the safe-house alone yet again.

It was idiotic the way he dedicated himself to this. Every time he went out there, he was in risk of getting caught. And she was always stuck here. Well that wasn't gonna happen anymore.

Ziva grabbed her coat. She didn't care that it was 2 a.m. She pulled the cap over her ponytailed head, and walked out the door. As she closed it, her cell phone rang. She had had it in her pocket out of habit.

She took it out, saw who it was, and picked it up immediately.

"Hey, Zee-vah," Tony whispered through the phone.

"Tony, what are you doing calling me?"

"Just wanted to know you were okay," he said.

"I can take care of myself, Tony. And why are you whispering? Where are you?"

"Home, I guess it's just habit since Gibbs told me not to help you."

"Then why are you calling me?"

"Because I need to help you."

"Tony, I don't need help. Especially when it jeopardizes your job."

"I'd jeopardize my job to prove that you're innocent. I have before, haven't I?"

"I didn't want you to then either."

"Ziva, I'm helping you, whether you like it or not."

"How are you going to do that?" She asked. "You don't even know where I am."

"But Ziva"-

"No, Tony! Help yourself and just leave me alone." She hung up the phone.

* * *

Tony closed his cell phone and looked at the computer screen. He had her location, well, at least a general idea.

He deleted the search, grabbed his gear, and started for the elevator.

"Dinozzo, you're here late."

Tony turned around to find Director Vance coming towards the elevator.

"Yeah, tons of paperwork to catch up on," Tony lied smoothly.

"I understand completely," Vance replied.

"What are you doing here so late?" Tony asked. "If you don't mind my asking."

"Different Continents, different time zones."

Tony nodded.

"How's everybody holding up?" Vance asked, putting a toothpick in his mouth.

"Holding up?"

"With Ziva and everything."

"Pretty good."

"And the fact that her replacement's coming tomorrow?"

"What?"

"Gibbs didn't tell you?" Vance asked. "He picked her out himself."

Rage boiled inside of Tony. How could he? He didn't even give Tony any time to prove her innocence. He tried to keep a straight face.

"Well," Vance said as the elevator door opened. "Good luck tomorrow."

He walked out of the elevator, leaving Tony seething.

* * *

**Whatchoo think? Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**I don't own NCIS, Or McDonald's, Or Nutter Butter. Just read on.**

* * *

Chapter 10

_This is not happening. This is not happening._

Tony sat down at his desk.

_The conversation with Vance last night was just a dream. Ziva's not being replaced. Not yet._

As soon as he thought that, the elevator doors opened and a young girl about twenty-five walked up to his desk. She had bright red hair, with light blue eyes. She was wearing a black work suit.

"Is this Agent Gibbs' office?" she asked.

"Who's asking?" Tony replied suspiciously.

She held out her hand. "Special Agent Jamie Grey. I've been assigned to his team."

"Agent Grey."

Gibbs walked in with his morning cup of coffee. Well, his first cup of morning coffee.

"Agent Gibbs?" Grey asked.

"Yup." He held out his hand to shake Grey's. Tony glared slightly.

"I'm honored to work with you, sir," she said enthusiastically. "I've been told you're the best."

"That's what they say. Here's your desk." He gestured to the desk across from Tony. _Ziva's_ desk.

The acid of fury ran through Tony like a volcano erupting.

Grey sat down at Ziva's desk and started setting up her things on _Ziva's_ desk. Tony hadn't even realized that Ziva's stuff had been removed. Grey set up a hot pink, _sparkly,_ Hello Kitty pencil jar. She was completely disgracing Ziva's desk.

* * *

"Ari, shut up!"

Ziva and Ari were sitting on the couch.

"Ziva," Ari said. "We need to know _everything_ about Gibbs. All of his weaknesses."

"I have told you all his weaknesses."

"Then how about the people he works with. That you worked with. What are their weaknesses?"

"You want to know their weaknesses as well?" Ziva asked.

"Yes!"

"Well," Ziva said. "McGee's biggest weakness…" She thought for a minute, while Ari looked at her intently. "I'd have to say McGee's biggest weakness is… Nutter Butters."

Ari groaned while Ziva smiled.

* * *

"Mmm… Nutter Butter," McGee said, looking at the package.

"You know, Probie, I think you're addicted to those," Tony said from his desk.

"I'm not eating them now," McGee said. "I'm going to eat lunch first."

"Mommy taught you well, McGoo."

McGee glared at Tony.

"I'm back, guys."

Grey came in with McDonald's. She handed them their food, Tony a Double Quarter Pounder, McGee a Big Mac.

At that moment Gibbs came in, and Grey handed him the same thing Tony had.

"Whataya got?"

Tony stood up and pointed to the McGee. "Put it on the screen, McLovin' it." A giggle came from behind Tony.

He slowly turned around and found Grey with her hand on her mouth from embarrassment. She smiled at him nervously. He was gonna have to get used to having a girly girl on the team. She probably had a pink room at home. He felt kinda sorry for her dates.


	11. Chapter 11

**sorry it took so long! I got blocked and I don't really get that much time on the computer. Thanks for hanign in there with Me! I'm not sure when I'll be posting next because of my limited time on the computer, so just stick with me, please. **

**I do not own NCIS of Hot Chelle Rae's awesome song, "Bleed".**

* * *

Chapter 11

"Ari!" Ziva said, exasperated. "You are there more than here! You are getting obsessed!"

Ari had his hand on the door, looking back at her like she was an annoying gnat that was flying around his head.

He took his hand off the door, walking towards her. "_Getting_ obsessed? I am not _getting _obsessed, Ziva. I have been obsessed for years."

Ziva stepped back slightly, and Ari walked out the door.

She sat down at the ratty old couch, shocked. _He admitted he was obsessed. With killing Gibbs. Why?_

She sat there for a few minutes and the door knocked. Ari must've forgotten something.

Ziva looked in the peep hole of the door and shock ran through her. _How?_

She ripped open the door. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
Anthony Dinozzo stared at her in wonder. "I thought you would be happy to see me. Why are you mad?"

"How did you even find me?" she asked.

"When I talked to you a couple weeks ago," he answered.

"You were tracing my call!"

"I had to see you."

She looked at him curiously. "Get in."

Tony came in and stood there awkwardly as she closed the door.

She turned around and looked him squarely in the eye. "Why are you here?"

He looked down at his feet. "Had to see you, I guess."

"Why?"

"I missed you."

She looked at him with curious eyes, and then said, "I missed you too."

* * *

Tony and Ziva had been talking for two hours about everything under the sun. Everything except what he wanted to talk about. What he wanted to tell her, but he was too afraid. But if he didn't tell her soon, she could be gone forever.

_**I feel like I'm drowning in ice water  
My lips have turned a shade of blue  
I'm frozen with this fear that you may disappear  
Before I've given you the truth**_

"How is everybody doing?" Ziva asked.

"Good," Tony said.

"They must hate me," Ziva said, looking down at her hands.

"Well," Tony said. "I mean, they're hurt and all, but it doesn't mean they hate you. Ducky believes you, too."

_Just say it you idiot!_

_**I'm dying here (I'm dying here)  
'Cause I can't say what I want to  
I bleed my heart out just for you**_

"He still will not do anything about it, and you should not, either."

"Then why haven't you kicked me out ordering me to go back to D.C.?"

She looked him straight in the eyes. "I don't know."

_Kiss her! Tell her how you feel!_

_**I stand here petrified  
as I look in your eyes  
my head is ready to explode**_

"I guess," Ziva continued. "That I just need some friendly company, and I'm selfish enough to risk your career for it."

"What?" Tony asked. "Ari isn't friendly company?"

"He can be, but he's always gone plotting revenge."

They were silent for a few minutes.

"Do you want something to drink?" Ziva finally said.

"That'd be great. My mouth is kinda dry from talking."

She got up to get drinks and Tony thought what he couldn't say.

_I love you, Ziva._


	12. Chapter 12

** I dont' own NCIS, or My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 12

"Good morning!"

Grey walked in and sat at her desk.

"Why are you so happy?" McGee asked her.

"Lots of reasons," she answered. "The sun's shining, birds are singing. You know, just the usual."

Tony twitched slightly. _Who cares if the sun is shining, or the birds are singing? _You're_ here instead of Ziva._

"So," Grey asked. "What did you guys do this weekend?"

"I wrote some, had lunch with my sister," McGee said like he _wasn't_ talking to a complete stranger.

"Great!" Grey said, as cheery as a chipmunk. "How about you, Tony?"

"Not much." That's all he was going to say.

"Oookay," Grey said. She started on her paper work… wait. Was she _humming?_ This was gonna be a long day.

It was a slow day; Gibbs came in and out, probably visiting with Abby and Ducky.

After lunch his phone went off, (Well, technically it was John Grayson's, but technically _he_ was John Grayson), telling him he got a text. The ring tone was "Iyiyi" by Cody Simpson.

He grabbed it out of his pocket, noticing the teasing glance between Grey and McGee.

The text read: _How are you today?_

He laughed. "Cecilia" didn't even use text talk. Shouldn't be surprised.

He replied back: _Annoyed. U?_

"New flavor of the week?" McGee asked as Tony put the phone back in his pocket.

Tony smirked. "You have no idea."

"When'd you get a new phone?" Grey asked.

"This weekend."

"Why would you get a new phone?" McGee asked.

"Maybe I wanted to keep work and pleasure separate, McNosy," Tony snapped.

McGee put his hands up in surrender. "Fine. I'll drop it."

They went back to working in silence.

* * *

Ziva – or Cecilia- picked up the phone.

_How could he be annoyed?_, she thought. _He's usually the one being annoying._

She sent back: _Why?_

She sat down on the couch after turning on the radio. It was all she did any more.

"And now here's 'My Life Would Suck Without You' by Kelly Clarkson," The DJ said.

_**Guess this means you're sorry  
You're standing at my door  
Guess this means you take back  
All you said before**_

For some reason that reminded her of her and Tony

_**Like how much you wanted  
Anyone but me**_

That took her back to the conversation they had around Halloween a couple years ago:

"_That girl was cute, Tony."_

"_Not really my type."_

"You_ have a type?"_

"_I have standards, Ziva. Otherwise, I'd be dating you." _

_**Said you'd never come back  
But here you are again**_

He always came back, no matter how angry or hurt he was before. She didn't deserve it.

_**Because we belong together now  
Forever united here somehow  
Yeah you got a piece of me  
And honestly  
My life would suck without you**_

She smirked. It was true. Every time she wasn't with him her life sucked. This weekend had been a perfect example.

_**Maybe I was stupid for telling you goodbye**_

She felt like that.

_**Maybe I was wrong for trying to pick a fight  
I know that I've got issues  
But you're pretty messed up too**_

They were both screwed up.

_**Either way I found out  
I'm nothing without you**_

She was something without him. She just liked the way she felt when he was around. Happy, carefree… confident.

_**Because we belong together now  
Forever united here somehow  
Yeah you got a piece of me  
And honestly  
My life would suck without you**_

He had a piece of her the moment they met.

_**Being with you is so dysfunctional**_

Wasn't that the truth.

_**I really shouldn't miss you  
But I can't let you go  
Oh Yeah**_

She did miss him. She knew what he was risking doing this for her, yet she couldn't let go enough to say goodbye.

_**Because we belong together now  
Forever united here somehow  
Yeah you got a piece of me  
And honestly  
My life would suck without you**_

With that the song ended and Ziva was smiling. Yet she was also slightly troubled. Was she in love with Tony?

* * *

**What did you think? Review! They make me happy! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Iiiii'm baaaaack! I do not own NCIS. The only things i own are my storyline and Jamie Grey. Camping! read on.**

* * *

Chapter 13

_Ziva ran down the hall, trying to find an escape. Hearing footsteps, she backed up against a wall. The footsteps faded, and she warily peeked around the corner. When she didn't see any body, she started running again. _

I have to get out of here_, she thought_. I have to tell everybody I'm alive and okay. I can't stay in Africa any longer.

_She saw a door and slowed down. She put her ear to it, waiting to see if there was any noise. There wasn't. _

_She looked cautiously around her, and the slowly opened the door, praying that is was the way outside. _

_It wasn't. I was just another room. She was about to close the door and keep looking when something she saw made her heart drop to her stomach. _

_Dead bodies. _

_Not just any dead bodies, either. They were the bodies of her team, her family._

_Gibbs, McGee, Abby, Ducky. Mutilated and tortured. She turned around and saw Jenny, Palmer. _

_Tony._

_She knew it would give her away, but she couldn't hold it back. She screamed._

"Ziva!"

Ziva sat straight up in bed, her breathing heavy. Ari was kneeling by the bed.

He stood up and sat sown on the bed facing her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Fine," Ziva replied. "Just a bad dream. Why?"

"You screamed."

"Oh." She did?

"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked. "You do not want to talk about it?"

"No, I'm fine," Ziva lied. She laid back down as Ari went back to bed.

* * *

_This is so stupid._

Tony was sitting around a camp fire with his teammates. Not the ones where they brainstorm, an actual camp fire.

The only reason they were here was because Gibbs _had_ to suggest camping. He wanted so to bond together as a team, and he suggested camping. It was probably because of Tony, too. He was the only one who _hadn't_ warmed up to Grey.

Gibbs was handing plates of beans around. Grey's nose turned up slightly when he tried to hand her one.

"I don't like beans, so I'm just gonna stick with the protein bars."

"More for us," Gibbs said.

Grey visibly turned up her nose this time. "I'm sleeping on my own tent tonight."

"Why?" McGee asked.

"Because I know better than to sleep in a tent with three men who've had only beans for dinner."

"Experienced in that area?" Gibbs asked, his mouthful of beans.

"Much too well," she replied.

Gibbs raised his eyebrow.

"I had five brothers and a dad, all big men," she explained, her voice slightly disgusted. "Bean night was terrible. Do you know how much gas can come out of a _big man_!"

Gibbs and McGee burst out laughing. Even Tony smiled.

Grey's voice carried over the laughter. "It's not funny when you have to wear nose plugs to bed. And then you can still taste it!"

McGee fell off the log because he was laughing so hard.

* * *

**Review! It makes Tony more motivated.**


	14. Chapter 14

__

__

**Sadly, I do not own NCIS. It is a tragedy that I must bear everyday. *sob* **

* * *

Chapter 14

Tony sat down at his desk, exhausted._ Stupid camping trip._

"You okay?" Grey asked.

"Just tired."

* * *

She nodded and went back to her work.

Just then, Gibbs walked in.

"Grab your gear. Missing Marine in Quantico."

Tony grabbed his gear, shook of his exhaustion, and followed them into the elevator.

* * *

"Ziva, why will you not come with me?"

Ari was standing by the door, ready to go plan.

"I will only be in your way," Ziva told him.

"You know all of their weaknesses. You could help us."

"I have told you everything I know."

He looked at her with quizzical eyes. "You are depressed."

"I am stuck in here constantly, how can I _not_ be depressed?

"That is why you should come with me."

"No," she said. "Just figure out what you are going to do, and tell me when it's all planned out."

"You are sure you do not want to come with me?"

"I'm sure. I'll see you later." She sat down on the couch, and Ari left.

He was right. She was depressed. But she couldn't help it. She had left Mossad to get away from this violence, (well, mostly), and yet here she was. In the middle of a plot to kill Gibbs. The closest thing she had to a father.

She tried to hold back the tears, but a few escaped. She wiped them away and turned on the radio. She flipped stations because of commercials and found a rock station.

"_And by request, here's 'Issues' by Escape the Fate."_

**A/N: Look it up. Ziva could totally relate to it.**

_

* * *

_

"Hello! Earth to Tony!"

Tony came out of his spacing and looked at McGee.

"What?" he asked.

"You've been staring at the screen for twenty minutes straight."

"Oh."

McGee's cell phone rang.

"What Abby?" he answered.

There was murmuring on the other end. It sounded like she was freaking out.

"Okay, Abby, I'll be right down to help you."

More freak-out murmuring.

He got up. "I'm heading for the elevator right now."

He got into the elevator, trying to calm Abby down.

"Is something wrong with Abby?" Grey asked.

"She probably just can't get any thing off the hard drive of the computer. She tends to get frustrated when that happens and needs McGoober's help."

* * *

"Ari, you are back early."

"I figured we could have some fun."

"Fun?"

"Yes, meet Raya."

A girl stepped into the room as he said her name. She was Israeli, judging by her looks and her name.

"She is going to help you get ready."

"For what?"

"We are going clubbing."

* * *

**Want to know more? REVIEW!**


	15. Chapter 15

** Sadly, NCIS is still not mine. If it was, this would be an episode. (Or series of episodes)**

* * *

Chapter 15

"Where are we going now?" Ziva asked from the backseat of the car. They had already been to three clubs and she was amazed that no one had called the police on them.

"You said to inform you when the plan was complete. So now I am going to take you to the warehouse to show it to you."

"What?" This had been a trick. She should've known.

They pulled up the warehouse. Ari got out and opened the door for Ziva. "Out you go."

* * *

"Tony, will you quit that!"

Tony just smiled at McGee. "Something wrong, McCrabbyPants?"

"Stop. Flinging. Rubberbands. At. Me," he said, clearly pissed off.

"I don't have anything better to do."

"How about your job?" Gray cut in.

"I stayed late last night and did all my paperwork."

"Then go get coffee for everybody or something."

Tony glared at her. "You're a Probie, you can't tell the Senior Field Agent what to do."

"I'm more mature than you are, so I think I can."

"More mature just means less fun."

Gray rolled her eyes and got back to work

* * *

"This is the plan?" Ziva asked, shocked. "I thought you were after Gibbs."

"I am, Ziva," he said. "But this is the only way to get rid of him.

"And this is how you plan to do it?"

"Yes. We will make sure he is in the building, and then we will blow up the entire NCIS headquarters. It's simply brilliant."

* * *

**Sorry it's so short, but I wanted a cliffhanger end for payback of anyone not reviewing. *mwahahahaha* I want atleast 5 reviews, please. Then I will relieve you of the cliffhanger and get on with the story.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry it took me so long, but things have been crazy and I didn't get 5 reviews. **

**Sadly I still do not own NCIS, I just own Grey and the storyline.**

* * *

Chapter 16

"Hey, call me."

Tony hung up the phone and sat at his desk.

Why wasn't she answering?

"Trouble in paradise?" Grey asked from Ziva's desk.

"What do you mean?" Tony said through gritted teeth turning on his computer.

"I was simply asking if your girlfriend wasn't answering your calls," she said simply.

"That's none of your business," He snapped at her.

"I was just curious," she said defensively. "You would tell McGee."

"That's McGee. I've worked with him a lot longer."

She leaned forward in the chair and leaned on the desk. "What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Tony was exasperated. He looked at Grey. "Let it go. If I decide to tell anybody, it sure as Hell won't be you."

She sat back, obviously hurt. Then she pulled herself together and went back to her computer.

McGee came in just then, looking frustrated, mumbling to himself.

"What's wrong with you?" Tony asked him.

"Abby's computers are going haywire and I can't figure out why."

"_You_ can't figure it out?" Grey said, shocked.

Then Abby came running into the Bull-pen, on the verge of tears.

"McGee, now they're beeping like I've got something and I don't because I haven't been able to do anything since I got here today and Gibbs is gonna go in there thinking I have something because his Gibbs sensors are going off because _my_ sensors are going off and my babies are in trouble and I need you to fix them!"

"I'm working on it Abby!" he said, trying to calm her down.

Tony just sighed. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Ziva took a deep breath. She was sitting at a café table, watching the NCIS building.

She had to stop this somehow. The thing is she didn't know how.

* * *

"Okay, I think I fixed it."

McGee moved out of the way so Abby could try to run a fingerprint. It started to run almost immediately

"Yes!" Abby Squealed. "You officially rock, McGee!"

She hugged him and he smiled. He could never get enough of her hugs.

She got back to work and McGee just looked at her. She was focusing on her work, but there was something more on her face…

"Is something bothering you, Abby?"

"No," she said, glancing at him and then back at the computer. "Just the computer earlier."

"Abby," McGee said accusingly. "I can tell that something's bothering you. What is it?"

She stopped typing and took a deep breath.

"It's Ziva," she said finally. "I mean, it's been months, and I'm still not over it. How could she do that to us after everything we've been through together?"  
"I don't know Abby," McGee said. He had suspected this. "Ziva grew up differently than we did, in a completely different environment. Ari's one of the only family she's got left."

"We're her family!" she practically yelled, her eyes filled with hurt and anger. "She has us! Or at least she did."

"I know Abby, I know."

"I also can't believe she would do it to Tony," she continued. "That shocked me the most. I mean, come on, it's obvious the way they look at each other."

"Yeah. I think that's why he wants to believe her so badly."

* * *

Gibbs came into the Bull-pen and sat down at his desk with his coffee.

"Hey," he called to Grey. "Where's Tony?"

"I think he went to the head," she said, not even looking up from paperwork.

He nodded.

The elevator door dinged and somebody came and stood in the doorway of ht Bull-pen.

"Can I help you?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah," the man said. "Agent Mortensen. We're coming up with a suspect and I think you'll wanna see who it is."

"Okay." Gibbs got up and stood in the middle of the Bull-pen. Then the elevator dinged again and an agent started to walk by with a hand-cuffed person.

"Hey," Agent Mortensen said. "Stop here for a sec."

The agent stopped in the door way and Gibbs recognized the suspect with a jolt.

"Gibbs."

His eyes narrowed.

"What the hell are you doing here, Ziva?"

* * *

**I want 4 reviews this time if you will. Please?**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry for the long update! reason 1: school reason 2: My mother doesn't allow that much computer time.**

**Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 17

Tony came back into the bull-pen. When he sat down, he felt somebody watching him. He looked up to find Grey looking at him strangely.

"What?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she said quickly and looked down.

"Look," he said. "I'm sorry about snapping earlier. I was frustrated because she wouldn't answer."

"Oh, right," she said. "Apology accepted." Odd. She didn't even look up. Like she was afraid to look at him of something…

"What's going on?" he asked, putting some force into his voice.

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"Look," she said, finally looking up at him. "I can't tell you. It's top secret, only Gibbs and the Director can know."

"Then why do you know?" he said quickly.

"Because I was here," she came back just as fast.

He looked at her suspiciously, then got up and went in search of Gibbs.

* * *

Ziva was sitting in the interrogation room, staring at the table.

_I have to do this, _she thought. _It's the only way to save them._

She knew that Gibbs was just letting her sweat. But he had better hurry up if they wanted to live.

* * *

Gibbs was standing in observation, watching Ziva. He knew what she did, and he knew she betrayed them. For months his gut was telling her she wasn't a good person anymore. But, watching her sit there, his gut was telling him something else. If Ziva had done something wrong she would sit there with defiance and determination in her eyes that what she did wasn't that bad. Now she just sat there, defeated, helpless looking. Like she knew what she had done and felt horrible for it.

So his gut was telling him, _"Ziva's still the Ziva you love. Give her a chance."_

But he wouldn't. Not yet.

* * *

Tony had already checked autopsy and MTAC. _Where was he?_

The elevator door opened and Grey was standing right there.

Before Tony could get the doors closed, she went into the elevator with him as they started going down to check Abby's lab.

"What do you want?" he asked her.

"I want you to stop looking and do your job."

He could. But his gut was telling him that something was wrong. He had to find Gibbs, so he could know what it was.

"I can't do that," he snapped at her.

"You can and you will," she demanded.

He looked at her in disbelief. "Let's get something straight missy, I am Senior Field Agent. You are a Probationary Officer. Who do you think has more authority?"

She looked at him with venom in her eyes. "Why do you hate me?"

"What? I don't hate you."

"You sure as hell act like you do!" she yelled. She shut down the elevator and stood in front of the switch so he couldn't turn it off.

"I don't hate you," he said. "I hate the position you're in."

"Why?" she asked angrily. "Because I replaced your precious Ziva? Well you know what, Tony? She's not coming back! So you might as well get used to me."

She flipped the switch and re-directed the elevator towards the bull-pen. When the door opened they both got out, but Tony passed the bull-pen and went on to the interrogation rooms.

"No!" She exclaimed. She ran after him, grabbed his arm and started pulling. "This – is – strictly – between – Gibbs – and the – Director." She pulled on his arm for every word and sounded like she was using all of her strength, but all it was doing was annoying Tony.

He made it all the way to the door of the first one, which McGee came out of.

"What are you doing in there McGee?" Tony asked, Grey still pulling on his arm.

"Nothing," McGee said like he was covering something up. "They just needed me to fix a glitch in one of the cameras."

"Don't they have other geeks to do that?"

"Sure, but I was the one they wanted."

Tony started going for the door, but McGee stepped in front of it.

"Am I not allowed to go in there, McGuard?" Tony asked him. Grey was still pulling on his arm.

"Um, no," McGee said. "The Director wants it need to know."

"So Gibbs does too?" tony asked, getting angry. Why can everybody but him know? The gut was filled with read, but he didn't know why.

"What makes you think Gibbs is in there?"

"Because Ms. Stronghold here said that Gibbs was with the Director."

He tried to push past McGee, but between him and Grey, he couldn't get the leverage he needed.

He pulled hard and got his arm free of Grey and then successfully pushed past McGee and opened the door.

Gibbs and Director Vance were standing in the observation room watching the interrogation.

Tony looked through the window and dread filled his soul. Ziva was in the interrogation room.

"What the hell?"

* * *

**ooooh. I'm not gonna ask for a specific nunber of reviews, but I really want you guys to review!**


	18. Chapter 18

** I'm baaack! As usual, I do not own NCIS. I just own Grey. **

* * *

Chapter 18

Gibbs turned around and saw Tony, Grey and McGee in the doorway. McGee and Grey looked sorry and Tony just looked pissed.

Tony stormed right up to Gibbs, getting in his face.

"Why? Why is she here? How did you find her? Why was I the only one who couldn't know?"

Gibbs just stared at him, looking cool on the outside, but he was boiling on the inside. He gave Tony his apparently signature stare and started to explain. "She's here because NCIS found her, and you couldn't know because you're way too emotionally involved." _But so are you_, a little voice in his mind said.

"And you're not?" Tony yelled.

"Enough!"

This came from Vance. Everybody looked at him.

But Vance just stood there. After a minute, Gibbs looked back at tony. "You need to go," he said.

"No," Tony said. "At least let me watch the interrogation."

"Tony, I can't do that."

Grey came over and started pulling on Tony's arm. Tony pushed it away.

There were tears in Tony's eyes as he said, "Boss, don't make me do something you wouldn't."

Gibbs took a deep breath. He was right. He wouldn't have left. He would've been there, watching.

"_Only_ watch," he said with force.

Relief came over Tony's face. "Thank you."

Vance handed Gibbs the file he needed for interrogation. Gibbs looked at it and realized that he shouldn't be leading this interrogation. There was only one person here who could.

"Grey," he barked.

"Yes?" she said, looking a little scared.

He handed her the file. "You're leading the interrogation."

"What?" Her eyes were like a deer in the headlights. "No, I've never led one before, you should do it you have much more experience."

"I also have too much history with her. You're the only one here who doesn't. Go."

She looked terrified, but she walked out of the room and stepped into the interrogation room.

"You think she can do this?" Vance asked Gibbs.

"She's a good investigator," he replied. "She'll be fine."

And he believed it.

Ziva looked up as the door opened. A young girl came in and sat down.

_What? Where was Gibbs?_

"I'm Agent Grey," she said professionally.

Ziva just nodded.

Grey got straight to the point. "Why did you do it?"

"Define 'it'," Ziva replied.

Grey looked down at the files. "Well, it says here that you came as a liaison for NCIS five years ago. You went back to Mossad twice and then came back here and became an official NCIS agent and an American citizen. Then, you go and help a terrorist attack on an NCIS event? You're on the run for months."

"That's a lot of 'its'," Ziva said, sitting forward in her chair.

"Why did you become and American and make a new life, then just throw it away when your brother needs help for his psycho scheme? I mean, I get that family's important and everything, I have two brothers myself. But what I wanna know is, did you plan this all along? Did you do all of this to gain the trust of NCIS and the team that you were on, just so you can crush that trust in one split second? To intentionally hurt everybody you 'cared about'?" She did quotation marks on the last two words.

A flare of anger shot up in Ziva. "I didn't want to hurt them," she snapped. "I did it to protect them. Gibbs in particular."

Grey raised her eyebrow. "You put their lives in jeopardy that night to protect them?"

"I had no other choice."

"You couldn't have _told_ Gibbs," she suggested.

"They were under constant surveillance," Ziva said, getting angry.

"Right," Grey said. "So you _helped _with the plan."

Ziva nodded. "If I was in on the plan, I would know what's going on and I could save them."

"But you didn't turn yourself in and tell us this?"

Ziva let out a small chuckle. "They didn't find me because I was careless."

"So technically you did turn yourself in?"

"Yes, and I'm telling you the truth now, which includes something else."

"And what's that?"

Ziva took a deep breath and said, "If you don't get out of here now, you'll all be dead in two hours."

Grey's eyes widened and the door burst open.

Gibbs went right up to Ziva. "Is that a threat?"

"No," Ziva said. "It's a warning."

* * *

**You want more? Review! Per favore (please)**


	19. Chapter 19

**I was told to update sooner then I usually dd, so I did! I also want to know what you though about epic Tiva moment in "Swan Song"! EEEEEEP! **

**As usual, I do not own anything excpet this plot line and Agent Grey.**

**The awesome NCIS characters go to CBS and Bellisario, and the lyrics to the song "All About Us" go to t.a.T.u.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 19

"Why are we going to die?" Gibbs asked menacingly.

Ziva looked up at him and forced herself to stay calm. "Ari has planted bombs all throughout the building."

"Why the whole building, why not just me?"

"Because he wants to make sure you're dead, and he does not care who gets hurt in the process."

"Do you think he cares if you get hurt?"

Ziva looked down at her hands, "I am not sure."

Gibbs pulled out a cell phone from an evidence bag and threw it down on the table in front of Ziva.

"Find out," he ordered.

She hesitated for a second, then picked up the phone and dialed Ari's number. Gibbs motioned for her to put it on speaker and she did.

The phone rang two times and then Ari's voice came on the other end. Ziva put her fingers to her lips to tell everyone to be quiet.

"Ziva?" he asked. "It's about time you checked in."

"I am sorry, Ari," she said quietly.

"Why are you whispering?"

"I was caught. I'm at NCIS right now."

"Then how are you calling me?"

Quickly thinking, Ziva said, "I hid my phone and right now I am in the bathroom."

"Ziva," he said like he was disappointed.

"I know I'm sorry, I just need some more time to get out of here. Can you hold off the bombs until I do?"  
There was silence, then a sigh. "I will give you a half hour more, but after that, I have to detonate."

"Ari" –

"I am sorry, Ziva, but you knew what you were getting into when you agreed to help me. You have to be willing to die for you cause." The line went dead.

She took a deep breath, then hung up the phone. "We have two-and-a-half hours. I need a blueprint of the building so I can show you where the bombs are."

"And how do we know that we can trust you?" Agent Grey asked.

There were many things that Ziva thought, like how much she cared for this Agency and her team, but as she knew they wouldn't believe her, she said, "Because I do not want to die."

Gibbs and Ziva looked at each other.

"Good enough for me," Gibbs said. "Go get the blueprints."

Agent Grey left and Gibbs came right up to Ziva and whispered, "Now what's the real reason?"

She looked into his eyes. "Because I care about you and Tony and McGee and Ducky and Abby too much. That's why I've done this, to know what's going on so I can protect you."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously, but he seemed to believe it.

The door opened and Tony stepped in. Relief washed over Ziva.

* * *

"I told you to stay in observation," Gibbs told him.

"I tried, but as you probably need your team to help you…"

Gibbs rolled his eyes but motioned him forward.

Tony walked right past Gibbs and went to Ziva and hugged her. She hugged him back and everything was right with the world.

The door opened again and Abby came in with McGee behind her like he was trying to stop her.

He looked at Gibbs. "Sorry Boss, I tried."

Abby stood in front of Ziva, and she looked like she was pissed.

"How could you even have step foot in here after what you did?" she asked, almost yelling.

Tony tried to cut in, "She didn't have much of a choice"-

"Shut up, Tony!" she said, holding up a finger. She never took her eyes off of Ziva. "You completely betrayed us, Ziva! You chose your psycho brother over us and tried to kill us all! I trusted you Ziva! Did you build up my trust just to crush it in one second? You did all of that and then you had the nerve to just come in here with a bomb threat! I hate you!"

The hurt on Ziva's face was plain to see, and it killed Tony.

_**If they hurt you  
They hurt me too**_

Then Abby did something that put Tony over the edge. She slapped Ziva.

Ziva's head snapped to the right and Tony could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"That's enough!" Tony said and stepped in between Ziva and Abby. "you don't know why she did any of it, you don't know anything. You don't have the right to judge her because you never heard her out! None of you ever did!"

_**They don't know  
They can't see  
Who we are**_

He turned to Ziva and put his hand on the cheek that Abby didn't slap. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, but he knew it was a lie. He pulled her into his arms in another hug.

_**Hold on tight  
Hold on to me**_

The door opened and Grey came in with the blueprints. "Let's get to work."

Ziva pulled out of the hug and walked over to the table as Grey spread them out. Tony stood next to Ziva and took her hand. His heart soared when she gripped it back.

_**It's all about us  
It's all about  
All about us  
There's a thing that they can't touch**_

* * *

**What's you think? Review, I like to know!**


	20. Chapter 20

**SORRY IT SOOK SO LONG, BUT IT'S TWICE AS LONG, SO I HOPE THAT HELPS!**

* * *

Chapter 20

"I want to help," Ziva said to Director Vance.

"Hell no, David," he replied.

"Why not? I already showed you where all of the bombs are, I can at least help defuse them!"

They were all in Vance's office which had been assigned the Control Room.

"I'm still not sure I can trust you," he said, taking a toothpick out of his mouth.

"I showed you where the bombs are and they've confirmed the locations of ten of them already!"

"That doesn't mean I can trust you to disarm them!"

"Then send somebody with me. Someone you can trust," she said calming down.

She heard somebody step up behind her and Tony said, "I'll go with her."

Vance glared at him. "I don't think so."

"Why not?" Tony asked, obviously frustrated.

"Do you even know how to disarm a bomb, Tony?" Ziva asked him.

"No," he answered. "But you didn't ask for someone who could disarm a bomb, you asked for someone to go with you to make _sure_ you disarm them."

Ziva looked back at Vance and asked, "Can you excuse us for a moment?"

"Go ahead," he answered.

Ziva grabbed Tony's hand and pulled him to the door of Vance's office.

"Where do you think you're going, David?" Vance asked.

"To talk to Tony."

"You think I'm gonna let you out of my sight?"

"She'll be with me, Director," Tony said. "I'm not letting her go anywhere."

Just then, someone knocked on the door and opened it. It only missed Tony because he backed up quickly.

"Sir," the man said. "Evacuation is almost complete."

"Good," Vance said.

"I really think you should come, Director." The man told him.

"After I make sure that everything is under control, I'll go."

"Director"-

"Go, send in EOD."

"Yes, sir."

With that he shut the door.

Vance put his focus back on them, and Ziva realized they were still holding hands. She quickly let go.

"I'm trusting you, DiNozzo," he said. "Don't let me down."

"I won't, sir," Tony replied. And then he opened the door.

* * *

"Gibbs," Abby said, "I don't wanna just leave you guys!"

Gibbs looked at her. "You need to go. McGee and Grey are going with you."

"What!" McGee said, as Grey said, "The hell I am!"

Gibbs turned to them. "Do either of you know how to disarm a bomb?"

"No," Grey said. "But"-

"No buts," Gibbs ordered. "Go with Abby, and stay safe."

"But, Boss," McGee interjected. "They're not going to let you disarm any bombs. That's what Bomb Squad's for."

"This is my case, McGee. I'm staying."

McGee face turned defiant. "It's my case, too."

Gibbs glared at him. "Go, or I will knock you out and drag you out of here."

"If that's what you have to do, Boss," he said, still defiant.

Gibbs glared at him for a moment, then decided to go with the kinder approach.

"McGee," he said. "If you don't leave, then Abby won't leave. For Abby…Please?"

The defiance disappeared from McGee's face and shock took its place. After a moment he said, "Alright, Boss."

McGee walked over and took Abby's hand. "Come on, Abby."

"But what about you?" Abby asked Gibbs.

"I'll leave with the Director," he replied, "Now, go!"

Abby and McGee left, and then Gibbs turned around to Grey.

"No offense to Abby," she said, "but I'm not that close to her, so I don't have to do anything for her."

"I'm still your boss and you should do what I say," Gibbs said, walking closer to her.

"You can headslap me all you want, I don't care."

"I wasn't going to headslap you."

"Then why are you getting closer?"

Gibbs was six inches away from her now. He could tell she was intimidated, but she was trying not to show it.

"I'm trying to protect you, Grey."

"Why?" she asked.

"Honestly?"

"That would be nice."

He looked straight into her eyes as he said, "Because you look like what I imagine my daughter would look like at your age. I couldn't protect her, but I _can_ protect you."

Shock flashed through her eyes, and she looked away.

After Gibbs staring at her for a moment, she picked up her bag and headed for the elevator.

"See you tomorrow," she said, and it sounded almost like a question.

Gibbs just nodded.

* * *

"I'm going with you," Tony told her.

"You can't," she whispered furiously. "You don't know how to disarm a bomb!"

They were in a corner of the assistant's office.

"I don't have to know how to disarm a bomb to make sure you do it!"

"You have to know so you can tell Vance for sure that I disarmed them!"

"Us living after you cut a wire should be proof enough!"

"I won't let you go with me," she said.

"I'm not leaving you," he answered, "so either you leave with me, or I go with you." He stood there waiting.

"I have to help them," she said.

"Then I'm going," he replied.

"Why?"

"Because I can't lose you! Not again."

_Oh my god_, Tony thought. _I just said that, didn't I?_

There were mixed emotions on Ziva's face. Shock, confusion, and something else he couldn't put his finger on.

After a minute, she finally responded. "What does that have to do with you going with me?"

"Because I can pull you out of it gets too dangerous."

She sighed. "Fine. But only if Vance approves."

They went back into the office where they were strategizing their plan of attack.

"Dinozzo?" Vance asked.

"I'll go with her."

Vance looked down at the blueprints for a second, then looked at Ziva. "Suit up, David."

Tony looked over to see Ziva smile a little. He knew why.

Because in that sentence, was acceptance, no matter how little it was.

* * *

Ziva had put on everything except the helmet when Gibbs came in.

As soon as he walked in they made eye-contact. She looked into his eyes and though he was trying to hide it, there was betrayal clear in his eyes.

She walked over to him.

"What?" he asked, his voice cold and distant.

"I just want you to know how sorry I am. I didn't do it to hurt you, I did it to protect you. Please know that."

"Honestly, Ziva, I don't know what to believe from you anymore."

"I completely understand," she said.

"I do have a question, though."

"Ask away."

"Was any of it real?"

"Any of what?"

"What you did for this agency, for this team! Do you really, truly care, or did we just waste our time and love saving you in Africa?"

Ziva couldn't respond immediately, because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to speak. When she did respond, she said, "All of that was real." She looked down so he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him walk past her.

_Get a grip_, she scolded herself. _You have work to do!_

She took a few deep breaths and walked over to the table.

"Everything's under control, Agent Vance, You can leave now," an EOD agent said.

"I did promise that didn't I?" he said. "Fine, lead the way."

Vance left the office with and EOD agent escorting him.

"Okay, let's rock and roll," the head EOD agent, Johnson, said.

Ziva put her helmet on and started going out the door just as Tony came up beside her, also in the uniform.

"You ready?" Tony asked her, smiling as they went down the stairs.

"Always."

Throughout the next hour, they all went to their designated spots and disarmed the bombs.

Afterwards, Tony and Ziva were walking up the stairs to the Director's office. AS they reached the door Johnson came out.

"Time to get out of here." He said.

"What?" Tony asked. I thought we got all of the bombs.

"There's one in the elevator right there"- he pointed to the one behind them, but we've run out of time. Come on."

"How much time?" Tony asked.

"Five minutes."

They started going down the stairs, but Ziva hesitated on the second step, debating on whether it was enough time to disarm it. Tony looked up from the half way point and said "Come on Ziva!"

She had just started going down the steps when the bomb went off.

* * *

"Ziva!"

Tony ran to her. She had been thrown down the steps by the force of the bombs, and though Tony had been thrown off balance, he only had a scratch or two.

She was at the bottom of the stairway and unconscious.

Tony got to her and crouched down.

"Come on, Ziva," he said shaking her slightly. "Wake up! Come on, I can't lose you!"

He kissed her forehead and checked her breathing. He saw a steady rise and fall of her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Then she coughed.

"What happened?" she asked.

Tony laughed. He couldn't help himself. She was alive!

She tried to sit up and Tony helped her.

"Let's get out of here," he said.

She tried to stand up, but she swayed. Before she could protest, Tony had picked her up and started walking towards the stairs.

"Tony!" Ziva objected.

"Get over it," he said with a smile.

* * *

**I hope you liked it, cause that's not the end! Review, per favore!**


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